King Arthur (2004)

A demystified take on the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Director:

Antoine Fuqua

Writer:

David Franzoni

Stars:

Clive Owen, Ioan Gruffudd, Keira Knightley

4 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clive Owen	...	Arthur
Ioan Gruffudd	...	Lancelot
Mads Mikkelsen	...	Tristan
Joel Edgerton	...	Gawain
Hugh Dancy	...	Galahad
Ray Winstone	...	Bors
Ray Stevenson	...	Dagonet
Keira Knightley	...	Guinevere
Stephen Dillane	...	Merlin
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Cerdic
Til Schweiger	...	Cynric
Sean Gilder	...	Jols
Pat Kinevane	...	Horton
Ivano Marescotti	...	Bishop Germanius
Ken Stott	...	Marius Honorius

Storyline

Based on a more realistic portrayal of "Arthur" than has ever been presented onscreen. The film will focus on the history and politics of the period during which Arthur ruled -- when the Roman empire collapsed and skirmishes over power broke out in outlying countries -- as opposed to the mystical elements of the tale on which past Arthur films have focused.

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Plot Keywords:

roman | knight | roman empire | freedom | sarmatian | 

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Taglines:

Rule Your Destiny

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense battle sequences, a scene of sensuality and some language

Details

Country:

USA UK Ireland

Language:

English Latin Irish Welsh Scottish Gaelic

Release Date:

7 July 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

King Arthur: Director's Cut

Filming Locations:

Ardmore Studios, Herbert Road, Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$120,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$1,829,788 (Italy) (1 October 2004)

Gross:

$3,165,602 (Brazil) (5 November 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Green Hills Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min 142 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Over 400 extras were used as Saxon warriors. Most of them had never had fight training at all.

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Goofs

The Pope did not have the power to give land to a people in the fifth century. This was not possible until nearly 400 years later.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Lancelot: [voiceover] By 300 AD, the Roman Empire extended from Arabia to Britain. But they wanted more. More land. More peoples loyal and subservient to Rome. But no people so important as the powerful Sarmatians to the east. Thousands died on that field. And when the smoke cleared on the fourth day, the only Sarmatian soldiers left alive were members of the decimated but legendary cavalry. The Romans, impressed by their bravery and horsemanship, spared their lives. In exchange, these ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits, not even the production company and studio bumpers, only the title.

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Connections

Featured in King Arthur: A Roundtable Discussion (2005)

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Soundtracks

"Song of the Exile"
Lyrics and Arrangement by Caitlin Matthews

User Reviews

Move over Mallory. I really loved this one! ****

It is an excellent story about an ancient contemporaneous-to-post Roman occupation of Britain and the beginnings of the Saxon invasions. Merlin and Lancelot and Guinevere and Gawain and Galahad are all there, but in more ancient and believable roles. It is a different tale never before told and in a different time. The screenplay, acting, scenery, cinematography and casting are all extremely well-done. The men especially are cast well, and Guinevere is perfectly beautiful. The music is haunting and beautiful and fit for the time and reminds me of The Last of the Mohicans. The fights and battle scenes are exciting and done well. The only reasons I have read that some people did not like this film are that they wanted more of the same old Arthur/Camelot tale, and a 14th century setting, which, when you think about it, is totally unbelievable. This, to me, was much more believable and realistic. Move over Mallory. I really loved this one.